An investigation by The Maine Monitor and ProPublica found that more than a quarter of Maine attorneys disciplined in the past decade for serious professional misconduct were hired as lawyers for the poor. Sex crimes and felony convictions were among the most severe infractions overlooked in the only state without public defenders. Defendants paid the price.
FEATURED STORY:
A low bar for public defense
All Stories:
She was afraid of her lawyer. Then the text messages started.
By Samantha Hogan
October 8, 2020
Lawyers who were ineligible to handle serious criminal charges were given thousands of these cases anyway
By Samantha Hogan
February 23, 2021
Maine hires lawyers with criminal records to defend poor residents. The governor wants reform.
By Samantha Hogan
October 14, 2020
Officials propose doubling budget for agency charged with defending the poor
By Samantha Hogan
October 25, 2020
Following multiple investigations, director of Maine’s public defense agency resigns
By Samantha Hogan
November 4, 2020
Ineffective financial oversight, missed obligations of Maine’s public defense agency detailed in new report
By Samantha Hogan
November 9, 2020
Maine governor won’t fund defense reforms without accountability
By Samantha Hogan
November 11, 2020
Maine begins search for new public defense director, approves rule changes
By Samantha Hogan
November 22, 2020
Budget Breakdown: Public defense initiatives miss governor’s biennium budget
By Samantha Hogan
December 20, 2020
Maine’s public defense agency acknowledges it didn’t enforce rules on attorney qualifications
By Samantha Hogan
December 23, 2020
Temporary public defense director selected amid major reform, barebone budget
By Samantha Hogan
January 10, 2021
Temporary director races to reform public defense system
By Samantha Hogan
February 26, 2021
Governor prepares to fill vacancies on public defense oversight board
By Samantha Hogan
February 28, 2021
Lawmakers push public defense reform in rebuke of governor’s budget
By Samantha Hogan
March 17, 2021
Two-year budget leaves public defense reform underfunded
By Samantha Hogan
April 25, 2021
Nominees for Maine’s public defense commission broke rules to work on serious criminal cases
By Samantha Hogan
April 25, 2021
Following arrest, defense lawyer banned from representing defendants for state
By Samantha Hogan
May 23, 2021
Defense lawyers say system crumbling under huge backlog, inadequate funding for indigent defendants
By Samantha Hogan
June 6, 2021
Lawmakers agree on ‘good start’ to overhauling state’s troubled legal defense system
By Samantha Hogan
June 18, 2021
Lawyer withdraws from nearly 200 cases after not complying with billing investigation
By Samantha Hogan
July 11, 2021
Samantha Hogan: A year later, Maine still last state without public defenders
By Samantha Hogan
January 1, 2022
License suspended after lawyer allegedly takes $189,000 from estate
By Samantha Hogan
February 27, 2022
ACLU sues Maine, says it provides ineffective defense counsel for people charged with crimes
By Samantha Hogan
March 1, 2022
Lawmakers seek funding for Maine’s first public defenders
By Samantha Hogan
March 27, 2022
Lawyer leaves state board, claims poor attitude by lawmakers toward impoverished defendants
By Samantha Hogan
April 2, 2022
Maine defense lawyer charged with criminal OUI by grand jury
By Samantha Hogan
April 8, 2022
Lawmakers make last-minute bid to “pony up” money for indigent legal defense
By Samantha Hogan
April 19, 2022
Lawmakers approve funding to hire Maine’s first public defenders
By Samantha Hogan
April 25, 2022
Justice rules ACLU can proceed with lawsuit against state public defense agency, commissioners
By Samantha Hogan
June 6, 2022
Availability of Maine defense lawyers reaches all-time low
By Samantha Hogan
July 5, 2022
Maine judge grants class action status to ACLU suit on public defense system
By Samantha Hogan
July 18, 2022
Judge warns of “constitutional crisis” if shortage of defense lawyers not fixed soon
By Samantha Hogan
August 2, 2023
Settlement reached by Maine and ACLU to overhaul indigent legal services
By Samantha Hogan
August 29, 2023
Justice rejects settlement to overhaul indigent defense in Maine
By Samantha Hogan
September 13, 2023
Civil rights board seeks Department of Justice investigation of Maine indigent defense services
By Samantha Hogan
September 14, 2023
Commission endorses statewide public defender network for Maine
By Samantha Hogan
October 11, 2023
Judges, sheriffs ask Maine Supreme Court to dismiss petition filed by woman held in jail without a lawyer
By Samantha Hogan
October 13, 2023